The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Maccabees 02
1 Now it was that the high priest Simon bowed
his knees near the holy place,
spread out his hands in reverentform, and
uttered the following prayer:
2 “O Lord, Lord, King of the heavens, and
Ruler of the whole creation, Holy among
the holy, sole Governor, Almighty, give ear
to us who are oppressed by a wicked and
profane one, who celebrates in
his confidence and strength.
3 It is you, the Creator of all, the Lord of
the universe, who are a righteous Governor,
and judge all who act with pride and
insolence.
4 It was you who destroyed the former
workers of unrighteousness, among
whomwere the giants, who trustedintheir
strength and daring, by covering them
with a measureless flood.
5 It was you who made the Sodomites,
those workers of exceedingly iniquity,
men notorious for their vices, an example
to later generations, when you covered
them with fire and brimstone†.
6 You made known your power when
you caused the bold Pharaoh, the enslaver
of your people, to pass through the ordeal
of many and diverse inflictions.
7 You rolled the depths of the sea over
him when he pursued with chariots and
with a multitude of followers, and gave a
safe passage to those who put their trust in
you, the Lord of the whole creation.
8 These saw and felt the works of your
hands, and praised you, the Almighty.
9 You, O King, when you created the immeasurable
and measureless earth, chose this city.
You made this place sacred to
yourname, even though you need nothing.
You glorified it with your illustrious
presence, after constructing it to the glory of
your great and honorable name.
10 You promised, out of love for the people
of Israel, that if we fall away from
you, become afflicted, and then come to
this house and pray, you would hear our
prayer.
11 Truly you are faithful and true.
12 When you often aided our fathers
when hard pressed and humiliated, and
delivered them out of great dangers,
13 see now, holy King, how through our
many and great sins we are crushed and
made subject to our enemies, and have
become weak and powerless.
14 In our low condition, this bold and
profane man seeks to dishonor this your
holy place, consecrated out of the earth to
the name of your Majesty.
15 Your dwelling place, the heaven of
heavens, is indeed unapproachable to
men.
16 But since it seemed good to you to exhibit
your glory among your people Israel,
you sanctified this place.
17 Don’t punish us by means of the uncleanness
of their men, and don’t chastise
us by means of their profanity, lest the
lawless ones should boast in their rage,
and exult in exuberant pride of speech,
and say,
18 ‘We have trampled upon the holy
house, as idolatrous houses are trampled
upon.’
19 Blot out our iniquities, do away with
our errors, and show your compassion in
this hour.
20 Let your mercies quickly go before
us. Grant us peace, that the downcast and
broken hearted may praise you with their
mouth.”
21 At that time God, who sees all
things, who is beyond all Holy among
the holy, heard that prayer, so suitable,
and scourged the man who was greatly
uplifted with scorn and insolence.
22 Shakingh i m back and fort has a reedis
shaken with the wind, he threw him down
on the pavement, powerless, with limbs
paralyzed, and by a righteous judgment
deprived of the ability to speak.
23 His friends and bodyguards, seeing
the swift recompense which had suddenly
overtaken him, struck with exceeding
terror, and fearing that he would die, speedily
removed him.
24 When in course of time he had come
to himself, this severe punishment caused
no repentance withinhim, buthedeparted
with bitter threatenings.
25 He proceeded to Egypt, grew worse in
wickedness through his previously mentioned
companions in wine, who were lost
to all goodness,
26 and not satisfied with countless acts of
impiety, his audacity so increased that he
raised evil reports there, and many of his
friends, watching his purpose attentively,
joined in furthering his will.
27 His purpose was to inflict a public
stigma upon our race. Therefore he
erected a stone pillar in the courtyard, and
caused the following inscription to
be engraved upon it:
28 “Entrance to this temple is to be refused
to all those who would not sacrifice.
All the Jews were to be registered among
the slaves. Those who resisted are to be
forcibly seized and put to death.
29 Those who are thus registered are to
be marked on their persons by the ivy-leaf
symbol of Dionysus, and to be reduced to
these limited rights.”
30 To do away with the appearance of
hating them all, he had it written underneath,
that if any of them should elect to
enter the community of those initiated in
the rites, these should have equal rights
with the Alexandrians.
31 Some of those who were over the city,
therefore, abhorring any approach to the
city of piety, unhesitatingly gave in to the
king, and expected to derive some great
honor from a future connection with him.
32 A nobler spirit, however, prompted
the majority to cling to their religious
observances, and by paying money that they
might live unmolested, these sought to
escape the registration,
33 cheerfully looking forward to future
aid, they abhorred their own apostates,
considering them to be national foes, and
depriving them of common fellowship and
mutual help